


I Don't Want Any Garlands

by TooGoodToBeBad



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Blue Lions Students (Fire Emblem)-centric, F/M, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Blue Lions Route, Garland Moon (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Garreg Mach Monastery (Fire Emblem), Mentioned Blue Lions Students (Fire Emblem), Pre-Timeskip | Academy Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:48:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26580895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TooGoodToBeBad/pseuds/TooGoodToBeBad
Summary: It's Garland Moon, and Annette makes Felix a garland to apologize for yelling at him in the greenhouse.But Felix doesn't like garlands.
Relationships: Annette Fantine Dominic/Felix Hugo Fraldarius
Comments: 6
Kudos: 51





	I Don't Want Any Garlands

**Author's Note:**

> Here's another silly pre-timeskip story of these two because I cannot help myself.

“And how many garlands are you making, Annie?” Mercedes hummed gently as her fingers deftly twisted and tied flower stems, her hands seemingly a blur as they danced around the flowers.

Annette paused at her words, trying to run through her mental list. “Well,” she began brightly, “I’m making one for you, Professor Byleth, and Ingrid!”

Her friend gave her a demure smile before flicking a loose petal from her light blonde hair. She eyed the pile of garlands at Annette’s feet with a peaceful expression before speaking up again. “And the one you’re making now, is it for a boy?”

From beside her, Ingrid choked on a biscuit, and Annette felt her jaw drop while her cheeks began to warm up. “I-I-I…” she started to stammer uselessly.

The half-formed garland slipped from her fingers as she brought her hands to her cheeks in a vain attempt to hide her blush. She shot both of her friends a furtive glance and was horrified to find Mercedes smiling at her serenely while Ingrid’s green eyes widened in amusement. “Fine,” she conceded. “It is, but not because he’s a lover or anything!”

Mercedes’ blue eyes sparkled mischievously as she covered her mouth with a delicate hand. “So why are you making this boy a garland, Annie?”

Annette dropped her hands and started working on her garland again, and her mind raced as she tried to worm her way out of explaining. She didn’t want either Mercedes or Ingrid to know that she was making a garland for Felix, because they’d ask why she was making a garland for Felix, and she’d have to explain the whole greenhouse incident and the subsequent attempt at bribery, and-

“Annette, are you blushing?” Ingrid asked incredulously. 

“No, I’m not,” she huffed indignantly. “If you must know, this garland is meant to be an apology garland. I may have done something hurtful to this person, and I want to be friends with them again.”

Now that wasn’t a lie; it was pretty much the whole story without any of the important details. Ingrid nodded at that, clearly getting the hint that this was as much as Annette would share. Mercedes, however, did not get that hint. “So who’s it for?”

Just like that, Annette’s mind turned as blank as one of Sylvain’s notebooks. She began to stutter until she blurted out the first name she could think of. “It’s for His Highness!”

“His Highness?” Ingrid raised a curious eyebrow at her while Mercedes giggled behind her hand. “What did you do to him?”

“I tripped into him one day and he dropped a box he was carrying on his toes,” Annette replied, perhaps a bit too eagerly to be convincing.

“And you think he’d hold a grudge against you over a simple misunderstanding?” Ingrid asked before taking a bite from another biscuit.

Annette nodded her head, and her orange braids bobbed with the motion. “I mean, it’s better to be safe than sorry, you know! Just so that it’s official.”

Mercedes turned her gaze from Annette to Ingrid. “How about you, Ingrid? Who are you making garlands for?”

“The usual suspects,” Ingrid chuckled. “His Highness, Felix, and Sylvain.”

“That’s very sweet of you, Ingrid,” Mercedes beamed while Annette let out a sigh of relief at no longer being the center of attention. “And whose is the crown with the violet in it?”

“Hmm? Oh, that one’s for Ashe. He likes violets,” Ingrid said softly as she tucked a loose strand of blonde hair behind her ear. “He’s been so sad this whole month, and I just want him to know we’re here for him.”

“And does this have anything to do with all that time you two spend together in the library?” Mercedes pressed on while Annette bit back a laugh. She didn’t think it was possible to scowl and blush at the same time, but Ingrid was proving her wrong. Eventually the scowl softened into something almost resembling a smile, and the pink hadn’t faded from Ingrid’s cheeks yet. “We just like reading, that’s all,” she mumbled.

The three of them sat in silence for a bit, finishing up the rest of their garlands as the sun lackadaisically sauntered across a bright blue sky. When the sound of church bells signalled that it was midafternoon, Mercedes smiled gently at the two of them before rising and brushing grass off her skirt. Annette let out a bright and cheery giggle as Mercedes gently placed a garland on her head, and her smile widened some more when Mercedes gave one to Ingrid as well. 

After all three of them were crowned with flowers and goodbyes were exchanged, Annette broke away from her companions with a skittish pep in her step. She had to find Dimitri.

* * *

“You want me to do what?” Dimitri asked, panic laced through his voice and written in his blue eyes.

“I’m sorry, okay?” Annette put on her best childlike pout (which, to her dismay, came rather easily). “I got put on the spot, so I used your name. So in case anyone asks you if you got a crown from me, just say you did.”

He clasped his hands together, and his fingers started to drum against the backs of his knuckles in a strange dance. “And what if they ask to see it?”

“Your Highness, you have, like, half a dozen crowns. Just say it’s one of them.”

“But this one’s from Ingrid, this one's from Mercedes, this one’s from the Professor, this one-”

“I dunno, then! Make something up!” she threw her hands up in exasperation. “Say the wind blew it off your head and into the pond or something.”

A strange clicking sound escaped from his throat before he let out a long sigh. “Could you not have thought of someone else to aid you in your scheme?”

“Scheme? Wha- This is no scheme! I’m just asking for a simple favor. Please?” she pleaded with him. A nefarious thought crossed her mind, and it was too good not to use. “It’s what friends do for each other, Dimitri! I’m not asking you as a prince, but as a classmate.”

Something in his face softened. “Alright, I will do this for you as a friend.”

Her blue eyes lit up with glee and she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. “Thanks, Dimitri! You’re the best!”

He chuckled at that and patted her on the head. “I’m happy to help,” he said. “It’s nice to hear you say my name.”

She watched him head up the stairs to the dining hall, and although he disappeared from her view, she could hear him yammering a bit too loudly from above. “Hello, Dedue, Professor Byleth! Can you believe Annette gave me a garland today? But then the wind blew it off my head and into the pond! No, Dedue, we don’t have to go to the pond to get it back, but that’s very kind of you.”

Her mouth twisted into a tiny frown, and she made a mental note to think of a better liar the next time she ever needed an accomplice for anything. After a couple of deep breaths, she steeled her resolve and began to stride with purpose towards the training grounds, a garland in hand.

She made her way through the hustle and bustle of the monastery, trying not to get overwhelmed by the sheer busyness of everything. It was a free day after all, which meant the monastery was teeming with more activity than usual that Annette felt like the whole place was close to bursting at the seams. Throughout her journey, she caught sight of many of her friends, each going about their day. She saw Hilda and Lysithea weaving garlands of their own, Lorenz and Ferdinand blathering rather loudly about something or other, and Linhardt napping under a tree while Caspar and Petra exchanged jokes.

The training grounds were just a few steps away now, and she hadn’t seen any of the other Blue Lions around (except for Ashe, who she spied staring at a garland in his hands with a sheepish smile on his face; it had a lone violet woven into it). She steeled her resolve, ready to confront Felix and apologize for throwing a watering can at him the other week and calling him all sorts of names. Her breath caught in her throat as the large wooden doors swung open and Felix Fraldarius stormed out with a scowl on his face. She strode towards him with purpose until two familiar faces made their way beside him, seemingly having followed him from the training grounds. 

Instinct and a momentary sense of panic took over her, and she quickly ducked behind a couple of barrels, hoping that Ingrid and Sylvain hadn’t seen her. Assuming that Felix hadn’t already told them all about her songs, they would definitely find out if she gave him the garland in front of them. 

“Ingrid, you better cut that out!” his sharp tone sliced through the distance between them, and his voice was as clear as day. Annette slowly peeked at them from her hiding spot and saw Ingrid and Sylvain laughing heartily at Felix while the swordsman angrily crushed several white roses underneath his boot. Thankfully, the grumpiest member of the Blue Lions had his back to her, and Ingrid and Sylvain were too busy making fun of Felix to notice her.

“I’ve told you a million times already, I don’t want any garlands,” he leveled a fierce glare at the blonde, who only shrugged it off with a bright smile. “And you,” he stabbed his index finger towards his taller, red-headed friend. “Why the hell would you even make me a garland, you jackass?”

“Because it’s funny!” Sylvain smirked before ducking to avoid an incoming right hand from Felix.

“You two are the worst,” Felix grumbled. “You’ve wasted both my time and yours with your stupid ideas of fun. If I receive any other garlands today, I will kick both of your asses. Anyone who tries to give me a garland is a complete and utter fool.”

“Sure thing, pal,” Sylvain shot him a dazzlingly bright smile, one that was almost as white as the flowers in the garland perched atop his crimson hair. “Let’s go, Ingrid. I can tell when our company isn’t appreciated.”

Sensing that Felix was about to turn around, Annette quickly ducked back behind the barrels. As she waited for his footsteps to pass, her heart sank into the pit of her stomach. It all seemed so obvious! Of course Felix Fraldarius would hate garlands. It seemed the only joy in that boy’s life came from hitting his classmates with swords and saying awful things to their faces. She probably should’ve run her whole plan by Ingrid or Sylvain instead of ending up looking like a fool before she’d actually done anything.

“Stupid, just stupid,” she muttered angrily to herself while she shook her head violently in disbelief.

“Who’s stupid?” 

It didn’t seem possible, but her heart sank even lower, and the blood in her veins turned to ice at the sound of his voice. She gulped nervously before turning her head and finding herself staring at the sharp, striking, and definitely not at all handsome features of Felix Fraldarius.

“Oh, hi Felix!” she squeaked.

“Annette,” he nodded his head at her. While his scowl was gone, his mouth was set in a tight line, and there was no hint of anything at all in his amber eyes. “Does this stupid person have anything to do with the fact that you’re hiding behind a barrel with a garland at your feet?”

Her jaw dropped as her mind raced to string together something vaguely coherent. “What?” was all she could muster.

He gestured towards the crown at her feet. “That.”

“Umm, I...”

“Did some idiot ruin your day by not accepting your little gift?” he chuckled.

“Well, not really, but I guess you could put it that way,” she sighed and drew her knees closer to her chest.

“Whoever that guy is, he sounds like a proper moron.”

A wave of annoyance swept over her, and she jabbed a tiny finger at him. “Well, he should, because he’s you!” she retorted angrily before letting out a tiny gasp and clapping a hand over her mouth.

He only raised an eyebrow at that. “Me?”

She let out a defeated exhale. “No, not you. I’m the moron here. I made you a garland, and I was supposed to give it to you, but then I caught the tail-end of your little spat with your friends, so I guess that makes me a complete and utter fool.”

“Mhm,” he hummed as he blew a loose strand of navy hair out of his face. “Why did you make me a garland?”

She could feel her cheeks heating up. “It’s not because I want to be your lover or anything! Let’s get that out of the way. I just… I felt bad about the other week, when I said you were the worst and I threw a watering can at you. And also when I called you the ‘evilest of villains’ and said I’d hate you forever and ever. It was supposed to be an apology gift. Because I want to be friends with you.”

“Oh,” he said in a flat tone. “Well, I suppose it’s not your fault. We haven’t really gotten the chance to know each other, so I can’t expect you to know how I feel about anything and everything.” 

Her eyes widened as she watched him pick up the garland at her feet and studied it with an impassive expression written on his face. “If it’ll make you feel better, I’ll accept your peace offering,” he said before stuffing it into his bag and offering her his hand. “Just don’t expect me to wear it.”

A weight she didn’t feel before lifted itself off her shoulders, and she cracked a tiny smile at him. She accepted his hand, and something warm shot through her veins as he helped her to her feet. “Thank you, Felix,” she said gently.

He didn’t smile, but his expression softened into something vaguely pleased. “Well, since we’re friends again, do you want to walk with me?”

“Sure, I’d like that,” she nodded and fell into step beside him.

The two of them walked in companionable silence through the monastery grounds, basking in the warmth of the afternoon sun. She shot him a sidelong glance, and her heart fluttered as she studied his features. Without the perpetual grimace on his face, he almost looked gentle. Handsome, even, with the way the sunlight danced on his face. 

“You look like you have something to say,” he said.

With that, she stopped walking, and so did he. “Umm, I was just wondering,” she drawled out slowly while trying to think of something to say so he wouldn’t know she was admiring his face. “Why’d you accept my garland, but not Ingrid’s? Or Sylvain’s?”

His eyebrows arched up in surprise. “Ingrid’s never serious about the garlands - she knows I hate them. She and Sylvain just like to piss me off for fun. But since you put in the effort to make this, and since you probably had good intentions, it’d be rude of me not to accept. Plus, you’re not annoying, so that helps.”

“Not annoying?”

He nodded and it almost looked sheepish. “Yeah. I… I don’t mind talking to you, you know? You’re nice. You don’t bother me.”

“Well, that’s good to hear,” she said in what she hoped was a nonchalant voice as she tried to keep the butterflies in her chest out of her voice.

“Plus, you...” he continued before shaking his head and cutting himself off. 

“Plus what?” she pressed on, looking at him with hopeful blue eyes.

“It’s nothing,” he said in a clipped tone as they stopped outside the dormitories. “Anyway, this is where I leave you. I’ve got stuff to do, and I’m sure you do, too. Thanks for the garland.”

“Oh, don’t worry about it!” she beamed. “And since we’re friends again, could I ask a tiny favor of you?”

“Depends on the favor.”

She took a deep breath before speaking clearly in the most politely convincing voice she could muster. “Please, pretty please, forget about what you saw and heard in the greenhouse!”

The corners of his mouth turned down in a subtle frown, and there was a curious expression written in his eyes. “Was that a part of the deal when I accepted the garland?”

“Well, not really, but-”

“Then no,” he said gruffly.

“No? Still? Why?” she pleaded helplessly. “Why are you being so stubborn about this?”

“I’m not,” he smirked. “I couldn’t forget your singing if I tried.”

"Felix!" her voice sounded dangerously close to a whine. "You can't be serious about this!"

With a dramatic swoosh, he turned on his heel and made his way up the stairs. “Good day, Annette. Thanks for walking with me,” he called out in a surprisingly cheery tone before disappearing upstairs.

She swore she could hear him humming on the way up.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I hope you guys liked this. Feedback and comments are appreciated!
> 
> This was my first time actually writing Dimitri as a character, so I do apologize if he seems off. Still, the best way to learn is to do, so I'm happy to try him out. Maybe one day I'll write something with him.


End file.
